5 reasons to consider group travel

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From the outside looking in, one might think that going a group tour is like travel with training wheels, or a watered-down version of adventure. You say, “Hey, I’m a confident and capable individual, with a very full passport to validate my travel prowess. Why in the world would I want to risk the enjoyment of my long-awaited (and pricey) holiday by tying myself down to a group of complete strangers?”

Until I began working as a tour leader for InsideJapan, I echoed the sentiments above. I’d never been on a tour nor considered going on one, but after being hired by the company that all changed. Since then I’ve come to realize that everyone should give travel with a group tour a second thought. But why? Well, here are my 5 Reasons you should consider group travel:

Firsts are better when shared. For many, travel means stepping outside of your comfort zone, trying something new, or fulfilling a dream. Your first pro-baseball game (enjoyed with a hotdog), your first bowl of mind-blowingly awesome ramen, facing your fear of the mic and truly setting “Fire To The Rain” at karaoke: all better when shared, trust me.

Food tastes better with friends.
When traveling solo, I often found that mealtimes were when I wished that I wasn’t alone. Sure, you can try and strike up a conversation with a stranger, or try to find some other lone traveler to share a meal with, and those can be great experiences. However, I find that breaking bread with friends generally means the drinks flow more freely, the food is more savory, and the laughter and good conversation envelop us all.

Stories to share.
When traveling in a group, you’re all in the same boat, at the same time, having similar but different experiences. Digesting, laughing, lamenting, and reminiscing with your tour mates is one of the most enjoyable aspects of traveling with others. We all have stories to share and experiences to process, and I think our journeys are enriched through their exchange.

You have a tour leader with you.
Which is a benefit to you how? Let me count the ways! Though there are many, I’ll give you what I consider to be some of the top reasons.

There’s someone to make a recommendation –So many choices and so little time! How quickly choice can end up being more of a burden than a freedom. Fortunately, your tour leader is there to help shed some light on your options and hopefully leave you better informed to make final decision.

For example, if you’re visiting Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni and you decide to have some ice cream from the shop with over 100 flavors available (Musashi, it’s famous!), I don’t recommend having the miso ice cream, unless you like very salty caramel with chunks of fermented bean a decent hint of “funky.”

There’s someone to try their best for those last-minute things – Group member: “I really want to see the ferris wheel that was in the Manic Street Preachers’ video! Is it possible for me to see it before I leave?”

**Note: they leaves Japan in less than 24 hours and we’re currently in the mountains, in the middle of Honshu, over 200 km away from this ferris wheel.Me: “Possibly! Let me have a quick think and I’ll get back to you.”
In the end they were able to make it out to see the ferris wheel, which made his trip, and even join the rest of the group for the farewell dinner later that evening.

Inspiration can strike you at any time, and your tour leader may be able to help you put together some last-minute activities or experiences. Though not everything can be arranged on short notice, they will certainly try their best to see if something can be worked out for you.

There’s someone to worry about logistics –As the saying goes, “time is money.” Unless you truly relish the idea of spending your evenings and mornings pouring over maps and timetables while on holiday, your time (and money) are better spent letting someone else take care of those things for you. You’ve traveled halfway around the world and you deserve to enjoy being here, instead of trying to figure out how to get there.

There’s someone to show you a different perspective –
A tour leader doesn’t just take you from point A to B; they can also share their experiences and insights of life in Japan. All of the IJT tour leaders have lived in Japan for many years, and have done so by choice. Most of us have left for a period of time and returned, we’ve worked on learning the language, invested ourselves in the communities we live in, and love to share what we’ve learned.

The people –They might all be strangers when you meet the first evening of the tour, but I guarantee they won’t be by the time it comes to say sayonara. Of course you might not get along so well with everyone, but you have an incredibly good chance of meeting some amazing people and forming new friendships. The odds are in your favor for this one, really!

So there you have it!

Does this mean I’ve signed off of solo travel? Oh no, by no means, and neither should you. But I have changed my opinion of group travel and wager that you might, too.